Three Mississippi for Steamboats
by Selene Antilles
Summary: Brennan finally makes a decision. Slightly AU Sully's back songfic to Terri Clark's 'Three Mississippi.'


Three Mississippi for Steamboats

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones and the song is by Terri Clark.

Three Mississippi for Steamboats

I used to believe that things would change but here we go again.  
Riding a spinning carousel this circle never ends.  
This kitchen table has seen it all before.  
These walls are tired of standing, can't hold us anymore.

Brennan pressed her fingertips to her forehead in exasperation as she glanced at the note on the kitchen table.

'Robbie called – giving the Tempe a coat of paint – won't be home in time for your friends. Sorry, babe. I'll make it up to you.'

How many times had she read a similar note, scrawled on the back of whatever had been nearest as he had run out the door. She shook her head. Was it really too much to ask that he spend an evening with her and Hodgins and Angela once a month. Personally, she didn't mind, but Angela insisted on these monthly night-outs and if Sully didn't show she would get the fourth degree from her nosy best friend. Was it fourth degree? Or third degree? She shook her head again, crumpling the note with one hand and pulling a beer from the fridge with the other.

_**  
1 Mississippi I close my eyes.  
2 Mississippi I'm begging you that we can still survive.  
3 Mississippi no lookin' back, gone for good and I know that  
I won't change my mind, oh, 3 Mississippi is where I'm at tonight.  
**_

Brennan hit the button on the flashing answering machine and Booth's voice filled the room.

"Hey Bones! Hodgins invited me along for dinner – you want a ride? Give me a call at the office. I'll be there 'till six; if you don't call before then, I'm on my way."

Brennan smiled as the machine clicked off. The clock read 6:10; Booth would be there any minute. The smile slid off her face as Sully's voice replaced Booth's.

"Tempe, sorry about tonight. Hope you found the note. I swear I'll make it up to you. Anything you want. It'll never happen again. Promise. I love you."

She rolled her eyes and deleted the message with a sharp stab at the machine. "Yeah. That's what you said the last three times," she grumbled to the empty room, feeling more ridiculous than she had when Booth took her to her mother's grave.

_**  
We're all out of second chances and all out of one more times.  
There's not a word we haven't said nothing we have not tried.  
My bones are aching from the weight I'm holding down.  
I took all that I'm taking, I'm breaking, breaking down.  
**_

She sighed, glancing across the counter to one of two pictures on her fridge. She remembered Sid taking it all those years ago. Back when things were simple and they were all happy. Uncharacteristic tears gathered in the corners of her eyes and she ran a finger over the cheerful faces in the photograph. Booth's arm was slung over her shoulders and Hodgins' was sneaking around Angela's. Zach sat sandwiched between the two older men, looking bewildered and completely absorbed with his soup. She brushed the tears away forcefully, missing Zach with all her heart.

Her eyes flicked to the other picture and she grit her teeth. She stood beside Sully on that damned boat, her hair blowing in the wind and his arm awkwardly wrapped around her. They were squinting against the bright, morning sun. She remembered how bright it had been and how he had even been late then. The day he returned to her. She made a disgusted noise, nursing her beer with a vengeance.

_**  
1 Mississippi I close my eyes.  
2 Mississippi I'm begging you that we can still survive.  
3 Mississippi no lookin' back, gone for good and I know that.  
I won't change my mind, oh yeah, 3 Mississippi is where I'm at tonight.  
**_

Booth's message playing in her head, she reached for the phone and dialed it before she could change her mind. She almost changed it anyways after one, two, three rings, but when Sully finally picked up, her decision was made for her. In as few words as possible, she informed him that she felt they were no longer a good match and should therefore stop seeing each other. Her matter-of-fact tone surprised him, which only served to set her resolve a little stronger. The ringing of the doorbell had her telling him she had to go and he could pick his things up tomorrow. She hung up before he had a chance to argue.

_**  
Hold my breath, close my eyes.  
Goodbye.**_

Brennan took a deep breath as she made her way to the door. She yanked it open to reveal the only person she wanted to see right now. Booth. He shot her that familiar charm smile, his hands in his pockets. She stood there a moment, Angela yelling at her in her head. Without warning she stepped forward and pressed her lips to his. Booth let out a surprised whimper but didn't pull away. Their eyes slid shut and her arms wrapped around his neck, his around her waist. Any lingering thought of Sully slunk from her mind as she lost track of steamboats.


End file.
